Rotary processing apparatus



Jan. 9, 1951 A. 1. scHLoss ROTARY PROCESSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Nov. 26, 1947 INVENToR A 1. DEN I. 5CH/ 06.5.

A. l. SCHLOSS ROTARY PROCESSING APPARATUS Jan. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENToR. ALDEN l. CSC/4L 05s.

...,...........................,-..5 IHHH Filed Nov. 26, 1947 T`1z| .4.

H TTRNEYS Patented Jan. 9, 17.951

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEl 2,537,792 l ROTARY PROCESSING APPARATUSAlden I. Schloss, New York, N. Y. Application November 26, 1947, SerialNo. 788,187

4 Claims. 1

The present invention pertains to improvements in rotary processingapparatus.

An object of the invention is to provide resilient mounting means forrotary lprocessing members such as buling wheels and the like.

A further object is to provide mounting means of the above natureadapted to permit angular shifting of a rotary buier to follow irregularcontours of objects being processed.

Another object is to provide means to guide and4 regulate the angle ofshift of the buffer and the degree of flexing of the mounting means.

A still further object is to provide means by which the normallyflexible mounting means may be rendered rigid when desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident duringthe course of the following description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectionalview of oneform of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the same in the plane 2-2, Figure1;

Figure 3 is a detail view of a typical formed guide rod;

Figure 4 illustrates the angular exing of the device to follow lthecontour of a surface being buied;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of theinvention;

Figure 6 is a similar view of a third embodiment, and

Figure 7 is a similar view of the third form illustrating theapplication of end plates to render the mounting rigid. 'l

Referring to Figures l and 2, the numeral I designates a buffer spindleon which are mounted inner and outer hub plates II and I2 respectively.A plurality of longitudinal cylindrical springs I3, preferably made ofrectangular stock as illustrated, are removably secured to the plates IIand I2 in circumferentially spaced relation to form a mounting cage. Themeans of securing the springs to the plates may be by means of setscrews I4 extending radially through terminal collarsl I welded to theends of the springs, the inner ends of the set screws bearing on iiangedbushings I5 disposed inside the collars l5. Rods Il', extending throughthe bushings i6 and retained by terminal nuts I8, brace the structureand may be dimensoned and' formed to limit and guide the flexing of thesprings i3 as hereinafter set forth.

The springs I3 are adapted to carry a plurality of vadjacently disposedbuing sections I9 of any suitable type herein illustrated as of theannular fabric construction disclosed and claimed in vcopendingapplication Serial Number 776,302, led on September 26, 1947. Gripperrings have extruded inner cylindrical portionsf 2l adapted to embracethe springs I3, and also have axially directed points 22 for grippingthe buffer sections I9 near the inner edges of the latter. Adjustableclamps 23 are provided to grip `the springs I3 on both sides of the gangor assembly of buffer sections, thereby retaining the latterlongitudinally and pressing them together as a unit. Y

The outer hub plate may be fitted with an inner key 24 engaging akey-way 25 in the shaft I. A cap 25, threaded on the outer end 21 of thehub plate member I2, engages the end of the shaft or spindle I0.

In assembling the buffer sections on the sup-v porting cage, they arerst placed on the springs i3 inthe general position shown in Figure l,but with the rods I'I mounted loosely to allow longitudinal movement.The cap 26 maythen be turned on the hub end 2l, thus drawing the platel2 outward after the manner of a Wheelpuller and thereby stretching thesprings I 3to a greater extent than it is desired to have them tensedwhen the ldevice is in operation. The buffer sections with theirAretaining structures are next pressed together and the clamps 23 aretightened to grip the springs. The shaft cap 26 is then retracted,allowing-the springs I3 to contract to the tension desired in operation.The contraction of the springs between opposing clamps 23 tends to drawthe latter toward each other, thus pressing the buifer sections andtheir gripper rings more tightly together. At the same time thelongitudinal contraction of the springs I3 causes a slight increase intheir outer diameters, thereby further tightening the grip of the Clamps23 and assuring proper retention of the buier gang in position duringoperation. The hub plate I2 is then locked to the spindle I0 by means ofa set screw 28 and the rods I1 are secured tightly in place.r

Figure 4 illustrates the manner in which the flexible mounting permitsthe assembly I9a of buffersI E9 to swing laterally to follow angularsurfaces on a work-piece 29. With ordinary rigid mounting such contoursmust be followed either by forcing the buffer itself to yield, which isdestructive to the buffer and produces irregular work, or by swingingthe Work itself to accommodate the rigidly mounted bui, which latterproceeding is laborious and often impractical in the case of largework-pieces such as automobile bumpers.

For certain classes of work wherein it is desired to provide rigidradial backing for the buffer assembly While permitting angular flexing,rods Ila, interchangeable with the straight rods I l, may be made withvarious guiding surfaces such as that illustrated in Figure 3. In thelatter figure the central portions 3B of the rods Ila are enlarged tosubstantially the interior diameter of the springs i3, the profiles 3|of the central portions 30 comprising circular arcs with their center 32in the axis 33 of the driving spindle. It will be'evident that when suchrods are used, the

iiexing of the buffer sub-assembly is guided spherically after themanner o a universal joint, While radial yielding of the mounting isrestrained. Similarly, various degrees and types of restraint andguidance may be provided by interchangeable rods of suitable size andcontour, the extreme condition being in which it may be desired torender the mounting substantially rigid. In the latter case the rods mayhave cylindrical central portions tting the interiors of the springs I3.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification in which a single large cylindricalspring 34 forms the resilient mounting for the buffer sections i9instead of the previously described cage springs i3. In thismodification the Welded end rings 35 of the spring 34 are secureddirectly to the hub plates 36 and 31 by means ci screws 33. The gripperrings 39 are formed with extruded cylindrical internal rims 40 embracingthe exterior of the drum spring 34, and the end clamps lll are adaptedto press the buier sections together as previously described. In themanner also previously described, the spring drum may be stretched bymeans or" the screw cap 26 to permit easy initial location of the buffergang, after which partial retraction of the cap causes longitudinalcontraction and diametral expansion to tighten the clamping of thebuffer gang thereon. It will be noted that in installing or removing thebutler gang from the mounting means shown in Figure 5, it is unnecessaryto remove the plate 3l or any other part of the mounting means, thusproviding for quick and easy interchangeability of buffer sections organgs.

A central guiding and limiting member 42 of any desired shape but hereinillustrated as of spherical exterior contour, may be secured on thespindle l!! within the drum-spring 34. The member 42 is adapted to guideand limit the flexing of the mounting means in the same manner asexplained with respect to the rods Ha, Fig'- ure 3.

Figure 6 illustrates a type of ilexible buier in which the yieldingquality is embodied in central discs forming individual radial supportsfor the builer sections. In this embodiment each multilayered outerbufiing annulus S3 has secured therein by sewing or the like a disc illof rubber or other suitable resilient material. The discs Ml are bondedto central bushings l5 of rigid material fitting on the driving spindled. The bushings 45 have forward external tapers 4l and correspondingrear internal tapered surfaces 48.

In assembly a plurality of the buler sections are placed together on thespindle 48, the bushings 45 being clamped together in nested drivingrelation between a nut 49 and an externally Vtapered driving hub 59.

In the described assembly shown in Figure 5 the resilient supportingdiscs it supply the yield necessary to allov.T the outer annular buiierportions 43 to follow irregularities in the work surfaces for certaintypes of service. This action enables the fabric annular portions to bemade relatively dense and relieves them of the necessity for destructivespreading and yielding among the individual layers of the sections. Whenit is desired to convert this typeto a rigidly mounted type for buiiingsurfaces having no .irregularities requiring flexibility, the assemblymay be clamped between removable end plates 5i and 99 disposed on thespindle 46 behind the nut 49 and the driving hub 5i! respectively, asshown in Figure 7.

While the invention has been described in premit angular tipping of saidannular members as a unit with respect to the axis of said shaft, meansincluding clamps individually embracing each of said cylindricalmounting means to secure said annular members to said mounting means,and rigid means to limit radial flexing of said resilient mountingmeans.

2. In a rotary processing device, in combination, a rotary spindle,flexible mounting means secured to said shaft and including adjustablelongitudinal helical spring means adapted to normally support a rotaryprocessing member in concentric relation with said shaft and means tolock said member to said helical spring means, said spring means beingflexible to permit angular tipping of said rotary processing member as aunit with respect to the axis of said shaft.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, a rotaryshaft, a cage comprising a pair of spaced plates secured to said shaftand a plurality of longitudinal helical springs terminally secured tosaid plates in circumferentially spaced and separated relation, rigidrods extending through the interiors of said springs and secured to saidplates, and means to secure a plurality oi rotary buing sections to saidsprings.

.4. In a device of the character described, in combination, a rotaryshaft, a cage comprising a pair of spaced plates secured to said shaftand a plurality of longitudinal helical springs termlnally secured tosaid plates in circumferentially spaced and separated relation, rigidrods extending through the interiors of said spring and secured to saidplates, and means to secure a plurality of rotary buing sections to saidsprings, said rods having shaped central portions adapted to engage theinterior surfaces of said springs to guide and control lateral flexingof said springs.

ALDEN I. SCHLOSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fue ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 277,097 Abbe May 8, 1883 352,087Fullerton Nov. 2, 1886 496,836 Messer May 2, 1893 y497,477 Post May 16,1893 551,019 Webster Dec. 16, 1895 1,314,125 Burlew Aug. 25, 19191,352,204 Leitch Sept. 7, 1920 1,544,521 Sosa June 30, 1925 1,666,746Maynard Apr. 17, 1928 2,140,208 Murray Dec. 13, 1938 2,146,284 ChurchillFeb. 7, 1939 2,226,625 MacFarland et a1. Dec. 31, 1940 2,295,282 MallSept. 8, 1942 2,455,099 Seelenfreund .n..- Nov. 30. 19411

